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The Tapestry Shop

Joyce Elson Moore (Goodreads Author)

2.85 · Rating details · 34 ratings · 14 reviews

The Tapestry Shop, by Joyce Elson Moore, is an historical novel based on the life of Adam de la Halle, a poet/musician who left behind a vast collection of secular compositions. While researching Adam's music, Moore discovered a little-known fact; the earliest version of the Robin Hood legend may have been Adam's play, Le Jeu de Robin et Marion. Because Adam was patronized ...more

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Hardcover, 327 pages

Published October 15th 2010 by Five Star (ME)

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· 34 ratings · 14 reviews

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Jan 23, 2011 Becky rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2011, reviewed, romance-y, religion-y

This book was chosen as the very first "Featured Author" group read in the Historical Fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads. The premise sounded fascinating to me - the story of the man who created Robin Hood. The cover is gorgeous as well, of course.

This story follows Adam de la Halle, poet, singer and songwriter and performer over a period of a few years of his life, attempting to fill in some of the gaps and bring him to life. After Adam is exiled in the story for singing a derogat This book was chosen as the very first "Featured Author" group read in the Historical Fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads. The premise sounded fascinating to me - the story of the man who created Robin Hood. The cover is gorgeous as well, of course.

This story follows Adam de la Halle, poet, singer and songwriter and performer over a period of a few years of his life, attempting to fill in some of the gaps and bring him to life. After Adam is exiled in the story for singing a derogatory political satire song, he meets the lovely young Catherine Durant, Tapestry Shop owner's daughter, and from that point on their lives and stories are intertwined.

This story was rich in detail and the descriptions definitely allowed for a feeling of "being there". I enjoyed this aspect of the book very much, and liked the real-life portrayal of life in the thirteenth century.

I also liked that Adam seemed like an intelligent and perceptive fellow, especially regarding politics and religion. I wish that this was a bigger part of the story, as well as the play Jeu de Robin et Marion, which is rumored to be the earliest French secular play (according to Wikipedia). He seemed like a fair and kind-hearted man, and I liked that he didn't throw his royal patron's weight around.

Catherine is young, and beautiful and betrothed to a lug of a man. Catherine is the type of ideal, loyal and faithful daughter that any 13th c. man would want to have. Intelligent and trustworthy and pious and determined to do her duty. She marries the lug, but is widowed after he dies in an incident, which Catherine feels partially to blame for, and so she makes an oath to God to redeem her soul. Religion and faith plays a very large role in Catherine's character, taking her to extremes. Of course this determination in her oath and promise to God causes quite a bit of inconvenience in her life, but determination is determination.

Adam and Catherine cross paths again and again, both secretly pining for the other, but neither speaking, and neither sure of the other's intentions, and each with their own fears and doubts and complications. This was one of the two main issues that I had with the story. I didn't feel that there was enough to really form a basis for the attraction between them. It was too "love at first sight" for me and it just didn't feel true. I felt that there was a large gap where their relationship foundation should be.

The other issue that I had can be summed up with by the word inconsistency. I thought that the details of the locations and life in 13th c. France were very good, as I mentioned, but the story seemed to hop around quite a bit. Not only due to the shifting between Adam's and Catherine's stories, but in time, and during exposition and action sections - specifically continuity between actions or scenes. A lot is left to the reader to fill in. Additionally, I felt that one character in particular, Isabel, was very inconsistent. She was described as being Catherine's closest friend and confidante, assisting with ways to get out of her undesirable betrothal, but then when Catherine goes to her for guidance the last time, she tells her to forget her schemes and wild dreams and just accept the pending marriage. It just seemed completely contrary to how she was described.

Overall, I think that this was OK. I would have liked to see more of the dissident in Adam since this is a fictionalized biography, and would have liked more of the story surrounding the play, and for the characters to be fleshed out more, but this was a quick read and an interesting story surrounding a lesser known figure in history. ...more

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Dec 25, 2010 Brenda Scott rated it it was amazing

The Tapestry Shop (Five Star Expressions) is an award winning historical fiction by Joyce Elson Moore about the thirteenth century French poet and trouvère, Adam de la Halle of Arras. Moore takes the few facts known about this real life historical figure, and several fictitious characters, and weaves a magical story of romance and adventure. Her writing is eloquent and the characters so real they elicit strong feelings from the reader as we instantly take on the emotions of her characters.

As a The Tapestry Shop (Five Star Expressions) is an award winning historical fiction by Joyce Elson Moore about the thirteenth century French poet and trouvère, Adam de la Halle of Arras. Moore takes the few facts known about this real life historical figure, and several fictitious characters, and weaves a magical story of romance and adventure. Her writing is eloquent and the characters so real they elicit strong feelings from the reader as we instantly take on the emotions of her characters.

As a master of descriptive imagery, Moore transports us to France in the Middle Ages as in this example where she seamlessly describes the landscape Catherine surveys as she leaves Vitry to join the Crusades. "Herds of game milled near the water, escaping the heat of early July which settled on northern France like a woolen cape." Further proof of such beautiful prose can be found as Moore describes the scene laid out before Catherine and her entourage as they approach the fair taking place in the city of Troyes. "The sun sent slivers of light between the shops, narrow gold rectangles spilling onto the road like priceless bullion. Smoke curled skyward from numerous braziers where cooks basted fowl and pork on turning spits and shouted at stray dogs." Every scene Moore lays out before us is described in an equally poetic fashion.

The story of The Tapestry Shop is centered on the love affair between Adam de la Halle and the beautiful Catherine Durant, a strong-minded and determined young woman whose father owns a tapestry shop in Vitry-en-Artois. However their conflicting principles and religious beliefs take them in opposite directions as they struggle to ultimately reconnect.

Adam de la Halle is said to have written the very first version of the Robin Hood legend on record, entitled Le Jeu de Robin et de Marion (The Play of Robin and Marion). Moore includes this in a later chapter in the book where she describes Robin et Marion being performed for the King's nephew and his court amidst praise and accolades.

The Tapestry Shop is sure to be a classic! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction, historical romance, adventure, and exceptional writing!
...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it liked it

The Robin Hood story has always fascinated me; how the legend came to be, is it based on a real man or is it simply a tale. The premise of The Tapestry Shop is that the minstrel Adam de la Halle, a real 13th century musician, wrote the play which became the basis for the Robin Hood legend.

The story is Adam's and his experiences as he endures exile, robbery, a failed marriage, gains an education and falls in love. Catherine's story is told alongside Adam's: her arranged marriage to a lecherous m ...more

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Sep 13, 2010 Lisa Yarde rated it liked it

Joyce Elson Moore’s The Tapestry Shop examines parts of the life of a French minstrel, the historical figure Adam de la Halle. In the French town of Arras, Adam faces a trumped up charge and endures exile in a monastery at Douai. He leaves behind a wife, Maroie, who seems impatient for his absence. Meanwhile at Vitry, Catherine, the daughter of a tapestry shop owner prepares for a possible marriage to Guillaume de Ridaut, a man whom she despises. She conceals her true failings whom her ailing fa Joyce Elson Moore’s The Tapestry Shop examines parts of the life of a French minstrel, the historical figure Adam de la Halle. In the French town of Arras, Adam faces a trumped up charge and endures exile in a monastery at Douai. He leaves behind a wife, Maroie, who seems impatient for his absence. Meanwhile at Vitry, Catherine, the daughter of a tapestry shop owner prepares for a possible marriage to Guillaume de Ridaut, a man whom she despises. She conceals her true failings whom her ailing father and relies on prayer to help her escape the cruel fate. After four months in Douai, Adam has lost his gift. During his journey home, he travels through Vitry and meets Catherine.

Both feel some attraction to each other, but Adam discovers Catherine may marry Guillaume, a native of Arras and his own union with Maroie encumbers him. Later upon his return to Arras, his wife may also have turned from him permanently. Adam finds himself draw back to Catherine, but it seems there is no hope of a future for them when she is prepared for her marriage. While they part for a time, in which Adam pursues his studies and Catherine's enduring piety forces her to tolerate her husband, neither she nor Adam can forget the other. When Catherine unexpectedly gains her freedom from her loveless marriage, a chance reunion with Adam offers the couple an all-too brief interlude to explore their feelings. Yet, providence may still lead Adam and Catherine in different directions.

Few dramatic moments endear the main characters or leave the reader in fear of the possibilities awaiting each. Catherine and Adam torment themselves over issues not of their own making and accepts the part that fate assigns to them, while secretly yearning for more. Oddly, the greatest risk that the couple takes in being together doesn’t invite censure. While the novel is well-researched and reflects most of the attitudes of the medieval period, the pace and style is very sedate. If you're looking for a detailed biographical account of medieval life peopled with ordinary figures, you'll find The Tapestry Shop appealing.
...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Rusty rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, won-arc-for-review

The author's credentials are impressive. A teacher by background, she left teaching to write full-time, beginning with non-fiction historical nonfiction, later a historical romance which won a RPLA award, and now writes historical novels ranging from ancient Rome to Early Modern Venice. Conservatory trained, that background is evident in this book (somewhat edited from the book cover flyleaf). The book is about a musician named Adam who is exciled because he publicly disagreed with what he thoug ...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Holly Weiss rated it liked it

Shelves: 2010-release, historical-fictionistas, new-authors-you-may-not-have-heard

The beautiful cover of the Tapestry Shop by Joyce Elson Moore gives us a hint of the amount of historical research lovingly poured into this novel set in medieval times. Adam de la Halle, a trouvere (singer/composer of songs) in the thirteenth century, studies at the Paris University and falls in love with Catherine who is promised to another. Ms. Moore does a fine job of drawing the reader into the, sights, smells, sounds and confusion of the thirteenth century. I learned that women participat ...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Danielle Baranowski rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

At its core, The Tapestry Shop is a well-researched historical romance (heavy on the historical). It's an enjoyable read, with relatable characters, but it fell short of four stars for me because of, well, the tapestries! Here a tapestry, there a tapestry, everywhere a tapestry...but Catherine's father could have owned a bakery instead of a tapestry shop, and I don't think it would have impacted the story. (Unless I'm missing significance or symbolism in the ever-present tapestries, which is ent ...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Beth rated it liked it

Shelves: blog-review, reviews

Originally published at http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/2011/...

While it was beautifully written and had a fabulous cover historical fiction of this time period just really isn't for me. I found it enjoyable and reminiscent of The Mists of Avalon, but the characters themselves didn't do much for me as people. This is recommended for historical fiction fans. ...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Ruth rated it did not like it

I'm a history buff, but after 100 pages I just didn't connect with the characters or the plot. The book is filled with descriptions that put you in the middle ages, but I didn't care one bit about the characters or what was happening to them. I will say though that detailed descriptions are not always my thing. I don't think it is a bad book; it just isn't for me.

I'd like to thank Carol Fass Publicity & Public Relations for providing a review copy. ...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Sue (booknbeachbag) rated it liked it

This is not the type of book I normally read, but it was selected for my bookclub.

A favorite series of mine has been Rashi's Daughters, set in the same time period, and I felt that I needed to draw upon knowledge from those books to fill in the blanks in this book. ...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Christy rated it liked it

Excellent book. It was interesting to see what the life of Adam de la Halle could have been like. And Catherine was a good strong woman... nice heroine even if she is a little hardheaded. Thanks again to Joyce Elson Moore for signing my book!

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Jan 31, 2011 Elli rated it liked it

Shelves: france, historical-fiction

Adam is a troubador, 13th century France, and Catherine is the daughter of a prominent store owner selling woven tapestries. This is their story as well as who they meet and know. Very loosely based on the few facts known about the life of Adam de Halle, an early trouvere.

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Feb 19, 2011 Mary added it

So far I'm hooked. Anxious to see where the author is going . ...more

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Mar 05, 2011 PenelopeThree rated it did not like it

DNF.

I wish this book had more to do with Adam then with Adam & Catherines relationship. And WHAT IN THE WORLD was with the wolves scene???! That was just tooooooo much - I stopped reading.

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About Joyce Elson Moore

Joyce Elson Moore

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After a brief teaching career, Joyce turned to writing full time, and has reached a widening audience with her books. Along with previous awards and contest wins, her books have won First Place in RPLA award for best published romance, and her historical novel, The Tapestry Shop, won the Bronze Medallion from Florida Book Awards in the Popular Fiction category. Publishers Weekly said Joyce's new m ...more